Archive

  • Student's head cut in snooker club fracas

    STUDENT Matthew James Thornley suffered a four-centimetre cut to his head which needed stitches after a fracas at a Blackburn snooker club. Preston Crown Court was told how he was struck with a cue. His attacker, Chazanfar Nawaz, a 19-year-old student

  • Scheme to help smokers quit is launched

    A NEW service to help smokers quit will be launched at Blackburn shopping centre and Darwen Market Hall. Blackburn with Darwen Primary Care Trust, is running the scheme, which will include help and advice at drop-in sessions at community, leisure and

  • Plea for Peru hike help

    IN May, I will be taking part in the 100-kilometre Peru Hike Away in aid of SCOPE, the charity that helps children and adults suffering from cerebral palsy. My target is £2,500 -- a lot of money, I know. To help me reach it, I will be holding a car boot

  • Paying price of non-payers

    IN response to Blackburn with Darwen Council writing off £979,912 of unpaid council house rents, council tax and business tax (LET, January 10), the comments by deputy leader Gail Barton that "the council collection rate compares well with other councils

  • Man of 35 left fighting for life

    A CIVIL servant was fighting for his life today after he is believed to have run into the path of a passing taxi as he fled from two attackers. John Gorton, 35, of Accrington Road, Burnley, suffered serious injuries in the accident in Westgate, Burnley

  • Egil no to Las Palmas

    BLACKBURN striker Egil Ostenstad has rejected the chance of a loan move to Spanish giants Las Palmas. Ewood chief Graeme Souness was prepared to let the striker join the injury-hit La Liga club until the end of the season, with a view to a permanent deal

  • Duff ignores 'diving' rumpus

    ROVERS winger Damien Duff plans to use victory over Birmingham City tomorrow as a springboard for promotion, having been accused of diving by Blues boss Trevor Francis when Blackburn took the points on Boxing Day. Duff helped Rovers clinch a dramatic

  • Charity boost

    MEMBERS of the Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale branch of Diabetes UK have handed over cheques for £5,000 to the national charity, £1,500 to the diabetes specialist team at the Health Care Trust and £250 to buy a laptop to help with dieticians' work.

  • Success for green shoots

    AN environmental project gave tips on how to grow "green shoots" of a different sort during a weekend workshop. Offshoots, which is based at Towneley Hall, Burnley, staged the workshop aimed at giving budding environmental projects advice on how to find

  • £2million station ready by Spring 2002

    BURNLEY should have a £2million state of the art bus station by Spring 2002. Manchester based architects Strzala Associates have beaten four other North West firms to secure the contract to design the bus station on Centenary Way. Burnley Council and

  • Disabled woman's human rights plea

    A DISABLED former law lecturer is threatening to take Burnley Council to court after claiming planning bosses have breached her human rights. Chris Zaba has lived in a mobile home on Spa Wood Farm, off Billington Road, Hapton, since March 1995 and has

  • Stephanie's flying start

    A YOUNG air cadet said farewell to colleagues before embarking on her flying career. Teenager Stephanie Bailey, 19, from Brierfield, made a final visit to the Pendle Air Training Corps, in Clayton Street, for a leaving party. She has been with the 1104

  • Buses diverted due to road closure

    BUS services in West Craven will be disrupted over the next fortnight because of a road closure. Earby Road, Salterforth was due to be closed between Kelbrook Road and Chapel Hill from today for two weeks. Stagecoach's "mainline" bus service between Barnoldswick

  • 1,000 blades in amnesty

    MORE than one thousand deadly knives were taken off the streets of East Lancashire as the result of a police blades amnesty. Lancashire's Chief Constable Pauline Clare revealed that 1,064 blades were put into sealed bins left at police stations across

  • School blaze probe

    PUPILS were told to stay at home after their school's offices were gutted in the second school fire in one week. The blaze at Billinge High School, Blackburn caused thousands of pounds worth of damage. Police were investigating a fire earlier in the week

  • Expenses probe: Double claims revealed

    A COUNCIL at the centre of an expenses fiasco has revealed some councillors had claimed twice for attending meetings. The revelation came as councillors were told some £17,400 over-claimed by members of Hyndburn Council over the last 12 months has been

  • Protesters' joy at masts refusal

    RESIDENTS have won their battle against the erection of two mobile phone masts -- even though company bosses offered to put them into the area in disguise. People in Mellor Brook and Ramsgreave are delighted that two applications for masts disguised as

  • Revenge is sweet

    Burnley 2 Barnsley 1 Burnley 2 Johnrose 23 mins, Payton 61 mins Barnsley 1 Hayward 77 mins REVENGE, they say, is a dish best served cold. And on a day when the under-soil heating at Turf Moor came into it's own, the Clarets made the most of the chance

  • Exciting new chapter for Rovers fans

    STAFF from Blackburn Rovers swapped their training ground for a classroom to show young boys that books can be just as cool as football! And the scheme at Meadowhead Junior School in Blackburn turned out to be right on target for pupils -- especially

  • Man of 35 left fighting for life

    A CIVIL servant was fighting for his life today after he is believed to have run into the path of a passing taxi as he fled from two attackers. John Gorton, 35, of Accrington Road, Burnley, suffered serious injuries in the accident in Westgate, Burnley

  • Clean up rivers call from MEPs

    EURO MPs have joined forces across the political divides to call on the Government to invest in cutting pollution from North West water treatment works including one near Blackburn. Tory, Sir Robert Atkins, Liberal Democrat Chris Davies, and Labour's

  • Fraudster ran up £2,500 stores bill

    A FRAUDSTER travelled widely as he made full use of another person's cheque book and cheque guarantee card, a court heard. Blackburn magistrates heard that in the space of two days, Robert John Brown purchased goods in 26 stores in nine different towns

  • New Bill inspired by Jack's dabs

    BLACKBURN MP Jack Straw has revealed how he was fingerprinted on the orders of a Prime Minister -- then used the experience to form a new Bill. Mr Straw said new proposals to allow the police to keep fingerprints and DNA samples from volunteers and suspects

  • Pair cleared of £80,000 robbery

    TWO men accused of robbing a garage employee of more than £80,000 worth of takings, have been cleared. Nigel Tomlinson, 31, and Terrence Alderson, 39, who was said to have been the getaway driver, were both found not guilty of robbing Kath Kendall of

  • SHEFFIELD WED 0 BOLTON 3

    We are worthy of second: Allardyce YOU won't get him to admit it of course, but Sam Allardyce must be starting to think about life in the Premiership. Another stunning result keeps Wanderers on the tails of leaders Fulham in second spot and even Allardyce

  • Marvin may get a break

    A RICHES to rags entrepreneur will put his future in the hands of TV viewers today (Mon Jan 22) in a bid to get his life back on track. Failed Prestwich businessman Marvin Baker (25), who lost everything when his plush publishing company went into liquidation

  • Polish centre keeps alive old tradition

    EAST Lancashire's Polish community kept their traditions alive at a bread-breaking ceremony. More than 130 people packed into the Polish Catholic Centre, Preston New Road, Blackburn, to take part in the Opwatek ceremony and celebrate the 20th anniversary

  • Thanks for raising rent!

    AS an old age pensioner of 70, I must congratulate Blackburn with Darwen Council on writing off £1 million of debts in council tax and rents (LET, January 10) -- after giving me and other allotment holders four weeks' notice to quit or pay an extra £20

  • Searching for relatives

    I AM trying to find my relatives in the Lancashire area. My father, Ben Walsh, was born Carus Street, Darwen. He went to Darwen Grammar School. He moved to Coventry about 1939 and has two sisters, Vera and Kathleen who still live in the Darwen area. Their

  • Sad to be the weakest link

    I WOULD like to thank Mrs S Brennan (Letters, January 4) for caring so much to write to your page and show concern for my loss. No, my purse was not returned . I see now that, like Mrs Brennan, I have become a member of the weakest link in today's society

  • It's time to stand and be counted

    IN response to his remarks (Letters, January 11) it may come as a surprise to Mr Dick Davidson, but the children of Darwen no longer go running out into the streets bare-footed when one of the shiny, new Blackburn buses goes by. Blackburn buses come to

  • Burger van blast horror

    A WOMAN was badly burned when a gas stove exploded and engulfed her head in flames as she cooked burgers in a fast-food trailer. Elizabeth Donaghy, 43, of Swallow Drive, Blackburn, was leaning over the cooker in the Ranch House Steak Bar, on Pleasington

  • Sneak-in burglar warning to home owners

    A "DON'T leave yourself open to burglars" warning has been given by police in Burnley. It follows a number of sneak-in burglaries at houses across the town in which opportunist thieves have simply walked in through unlocked doors and stolen property.

  • Battle in business

    STUDENTS at Burnley Sixth Form Centre have shown they have what it takes in the world of business by reaching the quarter finals of a national competition. The team of three teenagers battled against schools from across the country in the ProShare National

  • Supermarket evacuated

    A SUPERMARKET was evacuated after a member of staff smelled smoke. Firefighters were called to Kwik Save, Brook Street, just after 1pm yesterday sun. They found a piece of scrap wood had been leaned against a heater flue in a plant room and was starting

  • Arson attack

    POLICE are investigating an arson attack which severely damaged a terrace house in Nelson. Firefighters called to the house in Percy Street at 3.30am yesterday sun found someone had broken in and set fires in three places in the living room. Scenes of

  • Poetry and pints pulls in punters

    FORGET wandering lonely as a cloud if you are after poetic inspiration -- the pub has become the place to go! The Albion watering hole, which has staged concerts, stand-up comedians and even theatre shows, is now hosting something different a little different

  • Birthday celebration

    RIBBLE Valley Rotaract club held its annual dinner and disco at the Stirk House Hotel, Gisburn. Member Jenny Garner said 95 guests attended the 23rd annual event. The club is the youth section of the Rotary Club and caters for 18 to 30-year-olds.

  • Flyer cheats death in nose-dive crash

    A GLIDER pilot was injured in a spectacular nose-dive crash into a brook. Farmer Andrew Berry, 43, was attempting to take off in his powered glider near his home in Moss Lane home, Chipping, when the accident happened. His girlfriend Heidi Smith said

  • Ultraframe pays rich rewards

    ULTRAFRAME executive directors shared bonuses of more than £156,000 last year, according to the firm's latest annual report. The payments came after the Clitheroe-based conservatory roofing company saw a healthy rise in sales and profits in the year to

  • Swindon want Clarets starlet Heywood

    CLARETS defender Matty Heywood is wanted by Swindon Town. Heywood spent some time with the Second Division strugglers last week and played for their reserves in a 2-1 win over Leyton Orient. And the 21-year-old did enough to impress Robins boss Andy King

  • Spackman: I think we deserved a point

    DISAPPOINTED Barnsley boss Nigel Spackman felt his side deserved a point at Turf Moor -- but was left to rue a number of missed chances as the Clarets triumped 2-1. The most obvious came in injury-time when new signing Isiah Rankin had only Nik Michopoulos

  • I'm not leaving Turf Moor: Payton

    ANDY Payton insisted he's not leaving Turf Moor after celebrating the 400th League start of his prolific career with Burnley's winner over Barnsley. The Clarets' leading scorer was recently linked with moves to Wigan and Nott County. But Payton shrugged

  • Revenge is sweet

    Burnley 2 Barnsley 1 Burnley 2 Johnrose 23 mins, Payton 61 mins Barnsley 1 Hayward 77 mins REVENGE, they say, is a dish best served cold. And on a day when the under-soil heating at Turf Moor came into it's own, the Clarets made the most of the chance

  • Egil no to Las Palmas

    BLACKBURN striker Egil Ostenstad has rejected the chance of a loan move to Spanish giants Las Palmas. Ewood chief Graeme Souness was prepared to let the striker join the injury-hit La Liga club until the end of the season, with a view to a permanent deal

  • Carpet firm piles success into tile division

    AN East Lancashire carpet firm has launched a new division to capitalise on its success. Gaskells has created a new carpet tiles division, based at Clayton-le-Moors, whcih will be headed by Gordon Donald. The division is made up of Bamber Carpets Ltd

  • Research needed to boost tourism, says Minister

    THE £50 billion tourism industry in England needs a steady stream of up-to-date market research if it is to build on its sucess and see new ideas fly, tourism Minister Janet Anderson said today. A new English Tourism Council report, Perspec- tives on

  • Sofa so good for Ann-Marie's job

    A COMPANY boss has praised a new government scheme to get people off benefits and into work. Andy Watmough, manager of Classic Sofas, Fletcher Street, Blackburn, said his company would have been unlikely to take on one of its latest employees if it had

  • India deal could thaw the cash crisis

    BURY lost thousands of pounds on Saturday when the Gigg Lane clash with high-flying Stoke City was cancelled. The match was called off at 9.15am after a pitch inspection revealed the ground was frozen. The postponement was a bitter blow for chairman Terry

  • Elderly warned of bogus callers

    POLICE are hunting a man and woman team who posed as social services officers before trying to steal cash from a 78-year-old woman. And they have warned other elderly people to be on their guard in case the bogus officials are still operating in the area

  • Shipman murder probe may extend

    CLAIMS that evil doctor Harold Shipman began his killing spree by murdering three people in Todmorden on the same day could be investigated by police. The deaths happened on January 21, 1975, when Shipman, who is serving life for murders in Hyde, was

  • Call to clean up travellers' mess

    RESIDENTS in the Cornholme area of Todmorden are angry that a site left like a tip by a group of travellers has still not been tidied up. The caravan dwellings moved on from the Burnley Road site after being served with a court order. They had camped

  • Dough No! I just hate bread

    BREAD hating bus driver Sandra Lambert had a bit of a 'cob-on' when colleagues dreamed up an extra special birthday surprise -- a 5ft long loaf of bread! But the 31-year-old birthday girl soon saw the funny side of the prank played by workers at the Blackburn

  • Burger van blast horror

    A WOMAN was badly burned when a gas stove exploded and engulfed her head in flames as she cooked burgers in a fast-food trailer. Elizabeth Donaghy, 43, of Swallow Drive, Blackburn, was leaning over the cooker in the Ranch House Steak Bar, on Pleasington

  • Education 'windfall' welcomed

    EDUCATION chiefs in Lancashire have welcomed a multi-million pound New Year windfall to rebuild and refurbish crumbling schools. Lancashire got a bigger slice of the 'cash pie' than any other education authority. The investment is part of a three-year

  • Old folk suffer new blow

    THREE MPs have called for a top level meeting over the growing crisis surrounding East Lancashire residential homes after another announced it was closing its doors today. Eight homes have shut in the last 12 months and at least three others are in receivership

  • ACCRINGTON STANLEY 1 GAINSBOROUGH TRINITY 1

    Stanley count the cost of missed chances after conceding late equaliser at home ACCRINGTON were left to count the cost of a host of missed chances as visitors Gainsborough grabbed a late equaliser to leave Stanley without a league victory for two months

  • Cryer saves Blues tears

    WIMBOURNE 2 CLITHEROE 4 CLITHEROE have enjoyed many triumphs during their Cup exploits of recent years, but Saturday's FA Vase win at Wimbourne ranks with the best. The Ribble Valley outfit pulled off a sensational win over Wimbourne, who took the prize